Popular Vote Bill

Economics Political Theory
1

I was reading through the Denver Post today and came across this article:

"Popular vote bill passes house

By John Ingold
The Denver Post
Posted: 03/17/2009 12:02:37 PM MDT
Updated: 03/17/2009 12:06:25 PM MDT

A bill that could change how Colorado awards its electoral votes for president cleared the state House this morning and is now halfway to the governor’s desk.

The bill, House bill 1299, would make Colorado the fifth state to join an interstate compact in which members agree to award their presidential electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote, regardless of which candidate won the state. The bill won approval today in the House 34-29, with two representatives not present.

The compact only goes into effect if the member states combine to make up 270 electoral votes, enough to conclusively sway the election. So far the four states on board - Illinois, Hawaii, New Jersey and Maryland - account for 50 electoral votes. Colorado has nine electoral votes.

Supporters say the agreement will make every vote cast count and say the current winner-take-all system of allocating electoral votes in 48 of 50 states means people who don’t vote for the winning candidate in their state have their votes wiped out.

“We’re trying to move from battleground states in each presidential election,” said Rep. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, “and move toward every single voter becoming a battleground voter.”

Here is the actual proposed bill:

Interestingly enough, it is sponsored by all Democrats. If I understand correctly, the US Constitution does not stipulate the methodology of how each individual state determines how it’s designated Electors cast their votes.

What do you folks think about this?

2

the republic has been naturally decaying into an actual democracy for a long time. I suspect that at some point in the future we will do away with much of current polity and simply vote on everything.

3

“Supporters say the agreement will make every vote cast count and say the current winner-take-all system of allocating electoral votes in 48 of 50 states means people who don’t vote for the winning candidate in their state have their votes wiped out.”

Would not allocating the electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote, assuming the winner loses the state, wipe out the votes of those who voted for candidate that won the state vote? Their argument seems contradictory to me.

I have the perfect solution: Don’t vote.

4

http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/

That is the official website of what is officially called the “National Popular Vote Compact.”

From a purely Constitutional point of view, it is perfectly Constitutional and valid.

From a libertarian/Austrian view, it is merely another exercise in futility.